United blew an eight-point lead in the final six games of last season as six successive wins gave rivals Manchester City a first English championship since 1968.

City's task is stiffer yet this time around, and even victory at Tottenham on Sunday would leave them with just five games to bridge a 10-point gap at the top.

But United have won just one of their last three league games and Kidd, who won four titles as Sir Alex Ferguson's Old Trafford assistant, still hopes City can cash in on the "jitters" at his old club.

"This time last year everybody said it was all over," said coach Kidd, whose boss Roberto Mancini has been writing off City's chances for weeks.

"You were talking about eight points in six games. Nobody thought Manchester United would drop eight points in six games. Nobody knows.

"The title is not over yet until it is mathematically finished. It is United's to lose but make no mistake, there will be some jittery moments and with what happened last year it was a bad experience for them and they will be shocked by it.

"Stranger things have happened in football. It is poor if we thought it was all over. It could turn out a great season for Manchester City, we could win the league and the FA Cup."

ood grief. Someone guessed that the form English player at the moment might be in his national side with some other players? And that's espionage? Now if they discovered that Emile Heskey was going to be in the starting line up.... at right back.... THAT would be espionage. Give it a rest Roy.